January 12, 2018

Charlie has been doing pretty good over the past few days. Sometimes it seems like there is a lot going on and other times, it’s as if nothing new is happening. Either way, the days start to blur together but we are thankful for every day we have with Charlie.

The doctors diagnosed Charlie with what is known as NEC, or necrotizing enterocolitis. This is an inflammation of the intestinal walls that can cause tissue death and has been the cause of all his stomach issues. It is grouped into three stages of severity and Charlie is stage II b, meaning it is moderate. Luckily, the doctors caught it in the early stages and were able to start treatments for him right away, and he has already started to show some improvement.

Charlie still has the PDA in his heart and we are waiting for the doctors to reevaluate in this upcoming week. Other than that, he has been fairly stable. He did pull his catheter out the day after they put it in because Charlie thinks he’s in charge! The nurses always remind us of how feisty he is and we are thankful for that; he is such a little fighter! We have been able to help with his care time by changing his diaper, taking his temperature, and cleaning his mouth. He also like to hold our fingers and it’s amazing to feel his strong grip!

Please continue prayer for Charlie’s PDA and NEC. These are the two major issues that Charlie is trying to overcome right now and he could use all and any prayers! Thank you so much to all of you who continue to support Charlie and our family!